Compensation
Compensation: According to Jung, dreams function to balance our conscious attitudes. An overly optimistic person may have dark dreams; a timid person may dream of courage.
Related Terms
Carl Gustav Jung
Founder of analytical psychology. Developed concepts of the collective unconscious, archetypes, and individuation. Interpreted dreams as compensatory messages from the unconscious.
Unconscious
The deep layer of the mind beyond conscious awareness, harboring repressed memories, impulses, and desires. According to Freud, dreams are the royal road to the unconscious.
Archetype
Universal symbols and images shared in humanity's collective unconscious, as defined by Carl Jung. Archetypal figures such as the Mother, Hero, and Shadow frequently appear in dreams carrying deep psychological significance.
Projection
Attributing one's own feelings and thoughts to others. In dreams, others being angry at us, loving us, or judging us is often projective content.
Sigmund Freud
Pioneer of modern dream analysis. With 'The Interpretation of Dreams' (1900), he defined dreams as symbolic expressions of unconscious desires. Developed the free association method.
Repression
A defense mechanism that pushes painful, unacceptable thoughts and memories into the unconscious. According to Freud, repressed content returns in dreams in symbolic disguises.